


Call Of Max

by MaxineStark



Category: Black Panther (2018), Captain America (Movies), Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Autism Spectrum, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Bisexual Michelle Jones, Broken Families, Cute, Developing Friendships, F/F, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Secrets, Friends to Lovers, I need a little help., Iron-Dad, Irondad, M/M, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, One Big Happy Family, Original Character(s), Parent Pepper Potts, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Has Feelings, Please Don't Kill Me, Protective Avengers, Protective Pepper Potts, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Steve Rogers, Rescue Missions, Steve Rogers Has PTSD, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2019-09-01 13:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16766488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxineStark/pseuds/MaxineStark
Summary: The world was split in two.Loose ends became looser, they became gaping holes that required support to fix.So how on Earth would The Avengers solve this one?Broken, stranded, stuck with only the taste of blood in their mouths.Will she fix it?





	1. 23 seconds

"Did you see Iron man! It was crazy!" Echoed through the halls of Santa Catalina.  
"Yesterday he was seen fighting with those wizard guys and Spider-Man." The voices continued, Maxine kept her head down. As she moved to her next class.  
"I wonder if we can look at some old Stark Tech during physics. Mr Rutter loves talking about it." Someone mused as they flipped through their book, she stopped on page 184. Looking up to max. 23 seconds until class was due to start, Max stopped outside the physics lab door. Glancing to the silver watch on her right arm. 20 seconds. Someone's phone rang.  
"Ready for class today Max?" Herela called at 18 seconds, standing one foot, 4 and a half inches away.  
"I have completed all if the next homework for the next fortnight." max answered automatically. Eliciting a small chorus chuckle from her class members. What else were they expecting from her?  
"So what will you do since you are ahead?" Sue asked softly  
"I have my project… I can work on that." They all smile, understanding making the exchange a slight bit easier.  
10 seconds  
"Hello, Ladies!" Mr Rutter calls, sliding the lab door open, his black coffee mug sloshing dangerously in one hand as he stepped back for his students to enter. The girls file in, Maxine hesitates at the door.  
5 seconds. Jennifer glances up, sighing with a soft realization.  
3 seconds… Max glances down to her watch on the fresh hold. 2 seconds.  
"We are only waiting for you.."  
The bell trills out and max steps through the door, taking her seat and pulling out her workbook.  
"Let final period begin"Mr Rutter almost laughs.

"It is 3 millimetres in diameter, 5 centimetres long. Max calls them Wyrms, W. Y. R. M. S" Jennifer explained as Maxine slowly and carefully removed the bots from their case.  
"Each section is individually built… individually coded. And can move according to command." Max continues in a hushed tone. Her eyes remaining on the two strands of metal and wiring.  
"Should I run the test codes?" Jennifer offers, glancing to max who hadn't moved from where she was behind the bench, her classmates gathered on the other side, watching with mild interest.  
"Yes please." They move. Slowly at first. And then all at once, in perfect slithering motions. A small bubble of laughter escapes Maxine's mouth. Mr Rutter whistles, peering closer to the demonstration of the robotic coding.  
"Max… Did you code them? build them? Did you do all of it?" Adriana asks.  
"No, Jennifer helped me develop the codes. I miss things. But I built them." Maxine explains, with overwhelming excitement that seemingly infects her classmates  
The entire class, knowing very well that when max shows something it is what she has put her heart into developing, encourage her with smiles and words of assurance.  
"So, why?" Mr Rutter asks, taking everyone by shock.  
"Tony Stark… He developed Nanotech. I had an idea of how he may have done it. But this is as close as I can get it." Max responds, her disjointed tone oddly quiet.  
"Are you gonna start Your own Stark tech Max?" Herela Laughs watching the wyrms on the table move. A laugh moves through the room, but hitting a brick wall of indifference around Max.  
"Sure, it would be interesting. Run the sequence again." Max requested, leaning over the bots carefully. Nothing happened. Someone screamed, causing max to flinch and glance up. Jennifer was standing beside max, her eyes wide with fear as she glanced at her arm. It was flaking apart, drifting up into the air.   
"Jennifer?" Max breathed, confusion making her head spin. Jennifer stumbled forwards, reaching out for her friend. Max caught her before she fell and held her. 

"Don't let me go Max!, Please." 


	2. Field Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What else was anyone expecting....

"I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go! Please, Mr Stark. Mr Stark!" The kid was calling to me, but I couldn't see him through the thick clouds of red dust.  
"Mr STARK!" Peter Screamed, I ran, but the clouds just shifted. His voice bouncing around the room. I couldn’t find him!  
"Tony!" he sobbed, voice wavering, his fingers digging into my shoulders. But I couldn’t find him, it was my fault, the kid was right.  
"Tony! Get up!" He demanded, anguish becoming annoyance. The hands beginning to shake me vigorously.  
"Tony, it's earth!" Nebula growls. Her face inches from mine as I startle awake.  
"Gah!" Jumping in my seat she leans back, gesturing to the cracked window. The green and blue planet hanging in the black void behind her. God, Pepper better be okay.  
"well, she does have a fifty-fifty chance…" 

"The media is… I want to say having a field day, but nobody knows what is going on. It is all so divided." I sigh, swiping  
Through pages of headlines.  
"And not a single one of them are even close." Steve murmurs, his head resting on his hands.  
"I'd say terrorism is a close guess." Natasha murmurs, her voice low.  
"Nations are still trying to figure out who disappeared," I explain, glancing to the group as they sit somberly around the table. Steve, Natasha, Rhodes, Thor, Rocket and Bruce. None of us had heard from the group that went up in the spaceship. Not a word from Tony, or Peter. We had made our own, uncompleted, list on the wall.  
"The president was… uh vaporized. So the…"  
"Jeez pepper! " Bruce laughs darkly, wrapping his hands around the coffee mug in front of him.  
"I'm sorry guys… Lets just… I know the last two weeks have been hard. But we need to come back strong…" I whisper, trying not to look at the empty seat at the head of the table. Natasha coughs, drawing our attention.  
"What do we know about what happened to them?" She asks, eyes pinned directly on Thor.  
"For sure, we can not say. Words of the spirit realm have been thrown around. But the Infinity stones are powerful, and I can not risk getting any ones hopes up."  
"What about getting in touch with the other wizard. Or did he Vaporize as well?" Bruce asked.  
"There are chances." Steve murmurs, glancing to Bruce.  
"Maybe, maybe not."  
"Ms Potts," Friday calls. Startling rocket who had been rolling a small stick in his paws.  
"Yes?" I acknowledge, turning to a monitor.  
"Two things. Happy has just returned from California, And a small shuttle just entered the atmosphere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, but it is totally worth putting up with my inconsistency because I'm getting through my writing guys!


	3. Five steps forward to fall.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who on earth could it be? I mean we all know, Subtlety is not my forte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to leave comments guys, I would love to know what you guys think!
> 
> GUYS I AM REWORKING THIS THERE ARE HUGE INCONSISTENCIES!!!!!!

Sister Margo insists I be polite to the man who has come to collect me, insisting that he is here on behalf on my father. The moment those words fill the air between us my skin starts to crawl. I glance to the window, trying to ignore the photo from on my set of draws below the window pane. I inhale, noticing the increasing rate if tremors.

"Maxine? Harold has come to take you to your father place." My mind spins, processing the words.

"Come Maxine." she beckons reaching for me. I lift a shaking hand to hers, feeling only an inch tall as she leads me through the halls to the entryway. I pass the grand staircase, my heart beating in my ears. As Poe described the sound, like a watch enveloped in cotton. My heart was beating so fast I couldn't feel my feet as the soles of my shoes slammed heavily on the concrete floor. I passed room after room, vacated. Sister Margo brings me out the front door, where A broad man and the always petite Sister Andrea are discussing something in a hushed tone.

"Maxine, this is Harold. Your father's security staff." Sister Andrea explains. I tense.

"Hey, kid." They guy greets tersely. I nod. Fond of even fewer words.

"Please excuse her, she finds meeting new people extremely difficult, it can often be misconstrued as rude." Sister Margo rushes out, seemingly offended by our exchange.

"Its fine, I am the same." He explains, attempting a reassurance, he pulls out a set of keys.

"Uh, Maxine… 10 minutes, and then we really need to be headed back to New York"

I pack my school bag with textbooks, my weekend clothes, a rain jacket and the few personal belongings I have. Arriving back in the main doorway with three minutes to spare. Harold gives me a surprised look as I pull anxiously on the straps of my backpack. I look anywhere but his face. Specifically over his shoulder.

"Uh, so. Shall we go? I have signed all the release forms."  
"Why are you allowed to check me out of school?" I ask before he has even turned to walk down the stairs. He hesitates.

" You're father hasn't returned. Your mom can't collect you. Making your stepmother your primary guardian. She sent me to pick you up."

"But I don’t have a relationship with my father" I argue, a small amount of anger sparking in my memory. I try and push the feeling away. I had to be rational.

"This isn't really a normal situation max. Come on. We have to get you home." My stomach drops. It isn't my home.

* * *

Tony-"This is tony stark, can anyone hear me? Steven, Pepper, T'challa, Wanda?" I call, receiving nothing but static  
"Hey, Robot man, since we are back in the atmosphere, won't that suit work?" Nebula calls from where she was lounging in one of the chairs, I glance back to her.  
"I have never met anyone so helpful in the most insulting ways." the suit wraps around me.  
"Pepper!"

* * *

Pepper- I can't help but basically run to the front door. I hadn't seen her since she was 2 years old. And happy had brought her back! I glance out into the pouring rain. Barely able to see the car, but then two figures start towards the house. 

"MAX!" I cry, running towards the child. I wrap my arms around her, overwhelmed by my own excitement. She tenses, as we stand here in the rain. she pulls away cautiously.

"Who are you?" She asks, voice shaking. My heart sinks. 

* * *

Max- The place where they live is very large and very cold. Lots of white and metal. Not as much texture as the comforting halls of the school. It wasn’t home.  
"We were Just in the middle of a meeting." The strawberry blonde explains, her tone low. Her pin-straight hair swaying as her shoe clip with each step. We walk in an ambient silence through a vast entryway to a large room with a table. At the table sit a vast assortment of people and a racoon.  
"Everybody. This is Max." She begins. there is something I can't identify in her tone. I know it is similar to sadness.  
"Hello." I greet after a few moments, trying to smile nicely, unsure of how to perceive these people in front of me. Static cuts through the unsurprising silence. startling me into covering my ears  
"Pepper!"


	4. Too much, too fast.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is coming to a messy collision. Oh boy oh boy, how will they take it?

Every muscle in my body tenses, it was an instinct by this stage in my life. Whenever I saw him on the news, whenever someone said his name. I would tense.  
"Tony! Oh my god!" The lady beside me screams. Running forward in her impractical shoes and almost crashing into the impressive monitors.  
"Stark?" One of the men from the table calls in shock.  
"Hey, guys." Tony stark chuckles, His voice filling the room. Everyone in the room sighs. Some of them are smiling.  
"Who do you have with you, Tony?" A blonde woman asks.  
"Ah, it's just me and nebula," he responds. His voice lower. Everyone around me hesitates.  
"Wait for tony. No. don’t tell me that…" one of the men starts, looking up to the monitor. His brown hair cut close, his eyes with heavy shadows underneath.  
"Yeah." everyone is quiet. I hesitate, standing quietly.  
"Stark, we are coming in for landing. You need to find me somewhere to put this." a voice in the background calls. The whole table rushes into a flurry of motion. The racoon moving to the window with two rather large blonde men. The brown-haired man moves to a monitor next to the strawberry blonde, as well as the blonde woman. Another man slowly gets up from the table… And I see it, the aids around his legs. I rush forward to help him.  
"Thanks." He whispers, "But let's not let this know yet. Okay. There has been a lot going on, ok?"  
I glance to him in confusion.

"Tony there is a spot in the river deep enough to land at entrance velocity, we can be there to get you," Bruce explains, sending a map up.  
"Yeah, buddy, going a bit faster than that. We may have to deploy something to slow us down." I return, scanning the shuttle.  
"How much faster?" Rhodey asks, his voice teetering on nervous. I try to keep my mind clear as I work through the calculations, work through my inventory.  
"Pepper, open locker 163, send that to intercept at 200 klicks it will slow us down at a rate much greater than gravity and…"  
"You are still going to be going to fast!" A voice cuts through…

I shouldn't have spoken, but he was. He'd come apart before even reaching the stratosphere.  
"Tony she's right. " someone murmurs, but I couldn’t tell who. There was blood roaring in my ears. I couldn't breathe because he was mad. He was going to be so mad. I had come here. After he told us never to come back.  
"I'm going to have to skim." his voice is raw, toxic, venom. Stripping away my skin. The ground below me was rumbling with the force of his return, with the extent of his anger.  
I had nothing. There is nowhere else. I can't find anyone else. He is all I have. Where else am I going to go?

She started shaking the moment the words came out of her mouth, all of our eyes were drawn to her. The tremors were minimal at first, but it only took a few moments until she was having a full blown panic attack. Her fists punching into her thighs, and her entire body quaking as she tried to breathe.  
"Pepper, I'll take her. It's okay." Rhodes offers. I tried not to follow them with my eyes, but it was an involuntary worry. Everyone had seen it, seen the extent of her breakdown. That wouldn't have been any help.  
"Is she okay?" Tony calls out suddenly, his voice soft.  
"she'll be fine, we need to get you home so you can deal with her," I respond.

The man with the leg braces is called Rhodey, he is Tony's best friend, and he knows exactly who I am. He doesn’t try and rub my back like the teachers at school first did when I had my first panic attack, he stands and watches with almost sad looking eyes.  
"I'm okay." I offer, only to hiccup. I resort to rubbing my hands together, up and down my forearms. Over my knees. I roll my shoulders and count the number of breaths I can take in a minute. I get back down to my usual 15 and glance to Rhodey, who has a small smile on his face.  
"I never thought I would get the honour of seeing you in person." He mutters, shaking his head. I stand straighter under his inspection, fixing my dishevelled and wet school skirt, knowing very well that my jersey was sopping.  
"You are nothing like him."


	5. Stories to reconcile.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max has nothing, nowhere left to turn, so will she be turned away?

Tony- Once we touch down nobody wastes a second getting us out. Nebula and I are on solid ground within 5 minutes of being in the water. With a varied response from those around us. Pepper won't let go of me, eyes watering, arms like a vice around me. Steve pats me on the back, and his eyes seem to be like the gates to his soul, Locked and inaccessible.

"Everyone, this is Gomora's sister, Nebula." A racoon suddenly explains, telling me something I already knew. However, enlightening me to the fact the racoon could talk.

"Tony we should get you back. Everyone else is there." Pepper murmurs, her arms, loosening only slightly.

"everyone?" I mutter, hoping nobody heard the double-edged blade in my tone.

"She is a mess tony, I don’t think she knows what to do." Pepper tries to explain. Her voice softening, trying to make me see this as a misfortune. Like hell.

Max- The man sitting in front of me introduces himself as Thor. HE likes to tell me stories about a big bridge made of rainbows, and a flying hammer. I nod politely, glancing to other people in the room, they are watching me with mild interest. But none are trying to save me from the large, talkative, and quite possibly delusional man asking me if I like wolves.

"This one was 50 feet tall. His name is Fenrir and he was meant to be a key part of destroying Asgard." He sighs, rubbing his knuckles and looking up at me with surprisingly blue eyes.

"You seem like a smart child. Would you be able to help me find a snake?" He starts

"Thor, Loki is dead. You said it yourself. You watched him die properly." The blonde woman calls, her tone annoyed. Every nerve in my body heightens at the sound of her voice. I sit straighter, muscles tensed and ready to go.

"Easy max, it's okay." Rhodey murmurs from not far away. His brown eyes locking on to mine, his posture calm and a hand raised to settle me. His brows were arched, a common sign of openness I had learnt from my classmates. After a breath, I try and relax back into the seat, but they were looking at me again. And not with the same nature as earlier. I breathe in, rubbing my hands across my skirt. Voices echoed somewhere down a hall.

"Looks like Tony is home." Rhodey murmured.

Tony- It was a sombre reunion, as I realized who was not going to be in that room. Pepper was clasping my hand tightly in the back of the car, not quite letting me sit hunched forward to block out the sight of the cloudy autumn night sky.

The complex is hardly lit, maybe two or three of the rooms seem to have people in them, and then it all glows.

"Welcome home Mr Stark." Friday greets as the car pulls up. Doors swinging open, seeming a foreign familiarity. Like seeing it all in a new Light.

"Tony?" A familiar voice calls, her blonde hair swaying as she rushes out of the entrance to greet us. Steve places a hand on my shoulder. They are all standing there. Rhodes, Thor, Natasha. This is us…

"What now?" Steve asks. His voice low, I glance to him. Watching the shift in his eyes. He was tired, probably not sleeping. I knew where he was coming from. That unease was such a familiar feeling, such a familiar sight, almost like looking in a mirror. I allow my eyes to sweep over my team, the wounds still healing on Natasha's face, Rhodey staring at me, his eyes alight with a pained, but also a slight excitement. She was still here.

Pepper- Walking down the hall, Tony is shaking. A steely look on his face. I pull us to a stop, glancing to check there was no one in earshot.

"Tony, she has nothing left!" I murmur. His head drops. noticing the meaning of my words. 

"Tony, please. I think the fact she came here when I sent Happy is saying something on its own."

Max- The door opens, I try and avoid glancing up. But when whoever it is doesn’t move further than the door I can't help.

It's him. His shoulder is balancing on the door frame, arms crossed in front of him as he leans. He seems in a state of exhaustion. His brown eyes are frozen on me, no obvious expression. His face is set flat. Nothing is helping this situation, settling my racing heart and calming the heightened nerves. He inhales loudly, turning his head to glance behind him.

"What are you doing here Maxine?" He asks finally. My mouth goes dry, moisture accumulating on my palms. I stare at him for a long time, my mouth firmly closed. Trying not to care about the five feet and 3 inches between him and the couch I was cautiously balanced on.

"Maxine." He mutters, my lack of response irritating him. He pushes off the door, moving slowly to sit on the opposite side of the U- shaped couch. Lacing his fingers together he leans forward. Elbows resting on his knees as he stares at me.

"The silence isn't gonna help. I need you to explain." he murmurs softly after a few moments, I glance up from the toes of my shoes, the polished leather dusty from the dried mud. I try to breathe. One in. One out. I look into his eyes and start.

"Mom, she wasn't there when Sister Andrea dropped me home," I whisper, dropping my gaze back down as I stutter through the sentence. I keep trying to breathe in as I finish, I feel my whole body shake. The pressure of uncertainty a vice around my throat.

" I'll look into if she was one of the people who disappeared." He notes, his voice seemingly flat. I shake my head.

"I don’t know what to do. The school has been dismissed so that everyone can find family and be accounted for by their councils. But I don't know where to go. So I agreed with The headmaster and I came here because you are technically all I have left, because if Mom disappeared like Jennifer and Herela! Then I really have nobody" I start, my words rushing out.

Tony- She starts to panic. Shifting in her spot as she stutters through her explanation, but I'm frozen. There was nowhere she could go? So she came here? Considering how badly things ended last time, I'm surprised the idea crossed her mind.

Maxine is still rambling.

"I guess I could go back to school, but there is no one there! I do not have any other options, tony. I can't find Mom. Tony, you are all I have left. And I know that puts us both in an undesirable position, but it’s the only option." She stammers, breathing rapidly as she kneads her fists into her thighs. She was having an anxious breakdown. I blank. But something kicks in. An almost natural reaction that feels weird, but it occurs without a second thought

"Maxine!" I shush, trying to keep my voice low but not in a tone she could misinterpret. I go to reach for her but then I hesitate. I don't know if touching her right now is the best option… All of those parenting books said some children when having breakdowns can’t stand contact. Especially when this hysterical.

"Maxine? I'm not going to make you go back, okay. I won't send you back again." I Promise softly, sliding off the couch to sit in front of her so that she can see me. I look up to her and see that she has been looking into the corner of the room. But slowly she manages to shift her gaze to me. Her blue eyes shifting around my face and the room. She trembles a little less. Her arms lessen their assault on her legs.

"I need you to calm down though. This isn't going to make you feel better, and I know you are freaking out. It's been a long few weeks." I whisper, trying anything. She inhales through her nose, a long, slow breath. Her body still shakes slightly, arms a little tense, skin pale. I reach up slowly and carefully place my hand on her knee. My stomach tenses.

"You are okay. I'll figure it out, Maxine. We can figure this out."


	6. Origins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite their first interaction not going entirely badly. There has to be something holding a tension within the group.

Pepper- I tell them over and over not to snoop, but Natasha is disbelieving that Tony could be kind to the kid after the events he has just been through.

"You just send Happy to pick up some random girl, thinking tony isn't going to come home? What was your plan Pepper?"

"Not just some random girl." Rhodey defends, glancing to me. I nod, sighing. I start by going to a display, pulling out a file so old that the last person to access it was drunk tony. If that says anything. I also load the security feed from the lounge, They are sitting on the couch, tensely staring at each other.

"You have to be kidding me!" Bruce laughs a deep yet empty laugh. " I know we all joked about it. Suggested it, considering his past. But, this can't be real!"

Everyone glances to him, some quizzical, the rest bewildered. I nod, inhaling before I sit at the table.

"About 19 years ago, Tony met Malorie, she was lovely. I even liked her and that's saying something. They were really, really good for each other. She actually got tony to stop drinking. For a while. Anyway, they were together for a while, and when I say a while I mean like a few years. And then one day. She is pregnant. Tony at first is over the moon. But then it gets bad. Eventually, things end badly. And after a couple of years, the two stop talking altogether. Tony wanted nothing to do with Maxine at all. Malorie tried to keep him involved just a little bit, sending information and pictures. By the time Max was five. That just stopped." I explain. Keeping my tone calm, neutral.

"Why did she keep him involved?" Steve asks, trying to maintain the simple tone of voice. I shrug, unsure myself.

"She probably valued family, despite how broken it was. Around the time max was 5 she was given a diagnosis. But, after that we got a couple more files and then it stopped. I don't know what happened."

"She moved to a boarding school." Rhodey interrupts, looking up from his phone. "I wondered where I had seen that uniform, my cousins' kids went there. Prestigious. "

The room all collectively nods.

"Hey guys, she seems to be freaking out." Natasha Starts, her voice low and a hint of worry leaking through. I glance up, Tony was frozen on the couch, his eyes wide. I shoot up, ready to walk out find a way to help, but suddenly he moves. He is sitting in front of her on the ground, murmuring something to her. She still trembles, but slowly she seems to be calming down. Natasha turns on the audio feed, an intrigued glint in her and Thor's eyes.

_"You are okay. I'll figure it out, Maxine. We can figure this out."_

Max- I can tell, they are trying not to bombard me, but its so painstakingly obvious. The slowly came into the lounge area where Tony had been talking to me, and though I tense up when they enter, Tony and Rhodey's ease at the situation settles me slightly. Up until the racoon arrives. He stares directly at me. Walking on his hind legs. Wearing clothes.

"Maxine, this is Rocket." Tony murmurs, he is sitting on the couch, perpendicular to me, a strange computer open on his knees.

"Hey there kid…" The racoon suddenly greets. I jump. It smirks. I reach forward, I can feel his breath on my fingertips.

"Can... Can I pet you?" I ask quietly, he glances around incredulously, the people in the room are watching the exchange, but my eyes are on the creature in front of me. He sighs. Lowering his head into my palm.

Tony- Her face splits into a massive grin, fingers softly stroking the fur on the top of his head. You can tell he is trying not to show how much he enjoys the attention, but as she pulls back he leans towards her retreating hand. Then suddenly straightens.

"Uhm. Anyway!" He coughs. "what's in the bag kid. Anything good to sell." Max glances down her backpack by her feet drawing everyone's attention. She shrugs.

"so, that’s what. Two space voyages? What next stark?" Natasha jokes. A couple of the group laugh tensely. The rest remain quiet. 

I smile softly. Trying to hide how tired I was, how much the emptiness of this room was hurting. Suddenly max lets out a small yawn. Her entire body shifting with the breath.

_"You're tired already?" I tease as he takes a seat._

_"It's been a long day! You can't hold that against me!" He whines_

"Hey, max?" Pepper beckons, slowly walking towards max. She crouches beside rocket and looks at her with a soft smile.

"Are you getting a bit tired?" Max nods at Peppers inquiry. Slowly building up the courage to look pepper in the eyes.

"Then we should get you to bed." Pepper encourages. Patting max's knee carefully. The room was tense and focused, watching with an odd kind of interest. I was trying not to freak the hell out.


	7. Fourteen million fractures

Tony- I try not to hover, Pepper and Natasha help Maxine settle into one of the rooms, and I am left in the living room. But I can't stay still.

Not in the slightest. And it messes with my head. I wasn't used to this agitation. The last few weeks and the last few hours. It was all mixing into a great big ball of freaky.

"Okay. What do we do next?" Bruce starts, I glance to him, and he is watching me. Like I was about to hulk out.   
"Thanos broke the gauntlet, it was not strong enough for the stones…" Thor explains, he sits low in the chair. Empty. Confused

"So his magic glove was a one use thing?" I ask, I can hear the annoyance in my tone. I can see Steve's blank eyes pinned to the wall. Everyone was passed it. But we had lost, and we had some people we needed to avenge.

"Thor, you know about the stones… Almost as well as Strange. How does this all work. Where did they go?" I ask, trying to keep everything moving. Everyone in the room looks at me with a small amount of pity. And it burns.

"Tony. What happened?" Rhodes asks, I glance to him. I knew I couldn't fool him. But I guess if anyone could see it, it would be the guy who has literally been there for me for 30 years.

_"I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go! Please, Mr. Stark. Mr. Stark!"_

Nebula sighs. Shifting from her position against the wall where she was doing a really good job of being a wall fixture.

"The kid. He fought…" She mutters. The words almost like a slap. I try to keep a straight face, but this dull pain builds in my chest. His eyes flash in the back of my mind, the fear and then the realization. The acceptance. My head starts to burn. My throat tight.

"It's my fault." Thor starts. His voice low. Heavily ridden with guilt. "I didn't go for the head. I should have known."

"Thor, stop. There was no winning that fight." Rogers tries. But I cant help the echo in my memory.

"Strange saw… 1,40,00,605 outcomes. I think there was one, one possible outcome where we won." I quip back. 

"Only one?" Bruce laughs darkly. Dropping his head to hide his anxious laughter.

"Just the one."

Pepper- After assuring us over and over that everything was okay to the point things were starting to get a little awkward. Natasha and I leave Max in the room, I shut the door behind me.

"she'll be okay right?" I ask Natasha, fretting slightly. I gain a sigh of amusement from Natasha. She turns and walks away. I glance between her and the closed bedroom door, trying to hush the worries in my mind. After I few moments I follow. Telling myself that this may be a good thing for Tony.

But once I get to my room it really hits.

He was sitting on the bed, staring blankly out the window. Hands clasped infront of his mouth. Trapped in the whirlpool of his thoughts. I creep slowly to his side, trying not to startle him. I place my hand on his shoulder, leaning to kiss the top of his head.

"I just wanted to come home to you. I wanted to bring him home." He whispers, his voice gravely, like he was trying no to cry. My arms wrap around his shoulders, grasping onto him tightly. He trembles in my hold, each breath agonizing. I try to match his slow breathing, attempting to calm him. His hands wrap over my forearm, rough and chapped lips brushing over the skin. Eyes focused on the night sky. But there was nothing there. And it was a terrifying sight to see.

He was empty and fractured.


	8. Fighting the dreams, hitting a wall.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was this weird knocking sound, but really loud. Tony couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Max- I was standing in an empty room. The walls were bare, the floor was a cold and darkly coloured. The cold was seeping into my skin. Making me shiver. I couldn’t turn from where I was standing, I couldn't take a step in any direction so I allowed myself to remain completely still. It would end soon.

Something flashed before me, partially for the briefest second I saw the most beautiful design. Gold lines and circles rushing towards me only to disappear, just out of reach. I blink and the room is black. Not even the smallest ray of light. I try to speak. Not comfortable without my sight.

"It's okay. I know. But I just need you to know something." a voice echoes, Reassuringly. I tense, it was all around me, I couldn’t pinpoint where this person could be. Where they were coming from.

"You can fix this. You just need to find my friend. And another guy." The voice says again. Fix what? My mind starts to run through any possibility. But I was sluggish from sleep. The symbol flashes again.

"Max, it's up to you. You are the only one. She needs to be like you." The voice encourages, I try to step again. Fighting the invisible restraint. Something else comes to my mind. But it makes no sense. I shake the thought from my mind. Twisting my head around to spot the other person.

"But you need to wake up now Maxine. You need to find my friend. And you need Scotts help."

The lights flicker on again.

Someone is knocking softly on the bedroom door, I glance at the small clock on the bedside table. 7:03.

"Maxine?" Tony calls, "are you okay?"

After a moment I sit up, rolling my neck one way, and then the other. I have to crawl to get off the strangely large guest bed and tiptoe over to the door. We stand looking at each other for a moment. I purse my lips trying to think of something to say.

"You were hitting the wall." He explains after a second. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

The words come out oddly, the tone disjointed. He doesn't know how to talk to me. He doesn't know what to do about me. I nod.

"I think I was having a dream, I must have punched it." I murmur, looking down to my hands. There is a small scrape on the knuckles of my left fist, catching me by surprise.

"You really taught the wall a lesson. But I think it totally learnt not to mess with you." He sighs, slowly reaching to lift my hand. Under closer inspection, there is a little bit of blood on the skin but not much and it is already healing.

"Let's get it cleaned up and have some breakfast." Tony murmurs. Letting go of my hand, turning and walking down the hall. I freeze in the doorway. Brown eyes turn back to me.

"You coming?" He asks softly. A sad smile on his face.

Tony- Max winces as I dab an antiseptic ointment on the broken skin. She really did a number on her hand and I think I may have to Max proof her room… inconspicuously. I can basically see exactly what I have to do. Foam headboard, bubble wrap on the corners of dressers. My mind drifts off. I have to baby proof for my 16year old. Was she really only a year younger than the kid? Jesus, that makes a lot of sense as to why I took him in so much. The kid lost his parents. Was around the same age as my own daughter. Had a really attractive chick look after him. Was I trying to make him me?

"Tony?" She whispers, glancing into my eyes. I swear the blues of her eyes were able to read my thoughts. I flinch back. She huffs, pulling her hand back from where it was resting on the bench. She starts tapping on the stone. Once, once again, twice, three times, five times. I dismiss the tick, packing away the first aid kit and walking to the pantry.

"What do you eat?"  
"Petroleum" she responds in a monotone voice. I glance back. Her eyes were out the window where Steve was running. He had woken me up. I had started walking around, reading up on what I had missed. But we still hadn't talked. We still hadn't figured anything out. It was one of my strangest breakups. I cant just rub **his** back and kiss him on the nose apologizing. That would probably freak him the hell out.

Someone chuckles, Rhodey clunkily walks into the kitchen, scratching the nape of his neck before he sits next to max at the counter.   
"Good morning Max." He greets. She nods, says it back but never lifts her gaze. She wasn't staring. She wasn't even looking at Steve. I wonder what was on her mind.

"Morning tony." I smirk, reaching out to pat his shoulder. We look at each other for a moment and Rhodes grins.

Neither of us are believing this is real. In the worst possible time. Something went right.

"I'm not picky about food, but there are things I cant eat. Capers, olives, that weird easy cheese stuff. I don't like food with mixes of texture and it has to be simple. Nothing to over the top, I cant get my head around it." She suddenly says. Turning to face me, as if I had asked again. It was the most she had said calmly to me since we had met. Her voice was captivating. The way it trailed. The disjointed patterns of sentences. This wasn't nerves as much anymore. It was exactly how she spoke.

"I like sandwiches, cereals, I like fruit and some vegetables. Potatoes, sweet potato, broccoli and carrots. The school does have a file on what I can and cant eat. I think I have a copy in the information they gave me." She starts to ramble, and I nod. Turning to the cupboard.

"Good to know." Rhodes affirms, grin broadening. Max nods, tapping more.

Pepper- When I wake up the bed is empty, heart racing, stomach clenched. I briskly walk to the kitchen where Tony is drinking coffee with Natasha and Rhodes. I sigh. Max is picking apart some toast and eating it slowly. She glances over to me, crumbs scattered across her face, her mouth twitches.

"Morning." I greet breathlessly, Tony glances up to me smiling.

"Morning peps. Coffee's hot." Natasha calls, I nod. Moving to pour a cup and join the group sitting around the kitchen island. Tony suddenly straightens. Leaning over to whisper in my ear.

"I think we need to rearrange Maxine's sleeping arrangement."


	9. Steps to success.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony mainly regretted the colour he picked, Max assured him it was fine. So he tried not to let it get to him. But it was irritating

Tony- Max sits on the mattress as I fit the light blue headboard to the bed frame. Pepper had huffed slightly when I told her, it didn't take her long to agree. The scratch of pencil mixed softly with the crank of the ratchet. I glance over to max who was drawing absently on a notebook. She was perfectly happy in her head, but it seemed kind of awkward.

"So, tell me something." I try. She stops drawing. I fasten the last bolt, then start to pack up the tools I have on the floor. She was either really considering it, or she didn't want to talk.

"If Pinocchio were to say "my nose will now grow" he will be caught in a paradox." She murmurs, glancing up for a second. I stop moving for a second, staring at her as she continues to sketch.

_"Hey, Mr Stark! Did you know the way in which a spider’s muscles work! Their muscles can only pull their legs inward but can’t extend them out again." The kid reads from his notes._

_"Okay, okay. What's with all the spider stuff peter?" I ask, he shrugs._

_"The school is being weird since the Washington incident and the teachers are holding a spider-themed research project like we are 11 years old."_

"Okay, well you aren't wrong. But I meant about you, tell me about school." I sigh, closing my eyes. Trying to shake the memory away. She stays silent, still sketching.

"Maxine?" I call. Needing some form of distraction.

_"I helped this lovely old Dominican lady. She bought me a churro!"_

"I made microbots. They are like worms" she states suddenly. I nodded getting up and pushing the bed frame back into place. It was so mundane. I get back to earth, and I'm setting up Maxine's room. It doesn’t feel right.

Max- he stands looking at the bed for a really, really long time. I can't see his face, but his back trembles as he breathes. I wonder what he is thinking about. He seems unhappy. Constantly in his thoughts. But I can't find the words. I can't open my mouth. Eventually though, his phone beeps. He shakes his head and pulls the slim device out of his pocket.

"Hey, max. I'll be back in a few minutes. Okay?" He mutters. Voice flat. Then without anything else, he walks out.

So I stay. I keep drawing. Lines, circles. Overlapping and sitting roughly how I imagine. Sometimes I have those dreams, the ones that you forget when you first wake up and then as the day goes on you remember them. But I dream infrequently. And it's always the same echoing voices. Telling me about things I should know. Suggesting things my conscious mind obviously blocks.

Do this. Go to this event today. Do you remember seeing this?

Go to New York.

Find Scott.

Whoever Scott was. I guess it was someone I've met before that can help me find something to do now I'm here, normally I am good with names. Since I was little my social skills have vastly improved. But… Scott.

Tony- Natasha is standing in front of a screen, her face set in determination. Bruce hovering over her shoulder. Shaking his head at something.

"What is going on?"

"She found Thanos!" Rocket exclaims from a seat at the table. Thor is sitting next to him, eyes dark. One unsettling as it stares at me. Steve runs in, obviously alarmed by the sudden emergency text Bruce sent out.

"We aren't going in guns blazing!" I warn. Almost scared of what the reaction may be. But I get a range of nods and sighs.

"Though the gauntlet is destroyed. we don’t know the full power of those stones." Steve agrees.

"Can we use them? To bring people back?" Rocket asks, his voice edging on hopeful.

"The only people that I know can use those stones are the sorcerers." Thor murmurs, letting himself think. "Or Heimdal. But Heimdal is dead."

"Hey, Boss?" Friday interrupts. I jump at her voice. "Someone is at the door. He is saying it is urgent."


	10. Magic, was it not just slight of hand?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was seriously beginning to doubt her standing on things in the world. Also, why was this guy so excited to see her?

Pepper- "Look, I know you need to speak to him, but it's not really the right time. Could you come back later?" I ask. Staring at the man in front of me. He rose up onto the balls of his feet, trying to get a glance over my shoulder.

"Look, I understand miss Potts, But I have just had a really fun adventure he needs to know about and if I can't explain this to him we may have a small issue." He gripes. A small amount of panic setting into the sarcastic tone.

"Well, then why don’t you tell me. I can pass it on for you" I insist, trying to get this over and done with. We were both getting tired of each other.

"Nope! No can do Sorry, I can only talk to Mr Stark. Or specifically The Stark… Which made no sense. But just Trust me."

"Well, I'm going to be a Stark, is that enough?"

"No miss Potts."  
"Scott?" Someone calls. I turn to see Steve and Tony standing not far down the hall.

"Captain, Mr Stark!" Scott sighs. Visibly relaxing. I huff and move so the guest can enter.

"Look I need to talk to…" He starts before trailing off. The relief slowly shifts to confusion.

"You okay?" Steve asks, we all glance at him.

"The guy said tell The Stark. I thought he meant you. But. I don’t know. " Scott murmurs softly. We all glance to each other.

"Which guy?" Tony asks. Scott shakes his head, pursing his lips as he suddenly plunges his hands into his hair.

"The damn wizard! He said to find 'The Stark' and of course I went to you. He said we could fix everything. With the van. And a weird rock? And someone called Clare? Clare. Crystal… Damnit. Now I don't know!"

A door opens, but we keep our eyes on Scott who is now pacing. Walking between us and the door.

"And you can't tell us?" Steve asks, Scott shakes his head so hard he looks like he is being thrown.   
"There were rules. Specific conditions as to how to do this." he mutters, sounding frustrated.

"Rules?" Max suddenly interupts. We all glance to where she was standing pulling on the sleeve of her school jersey.

"The voice in my dream gives me rules to!" She says with a kind smile. Tony curses softly under his breath.

Max- Scott didn't remember meeting me either. Perhaps I had read about him somewhere. He insists that we go outside and talk for a few minutes. I glance to tony. My stomach clenches. I don’t know what to do.

"It's up to you." He informs me. I try to pick apart my thoughts, clenching tightly to the notebook in my hands.

"Okay. Lead the way." I agree after a moment.

We walk for a few minutes before he suddenly stops.

"you have never seen the wizard have you?" He asks slowly turning to me. Honestly, the idea of wizardry is kind of baffling. It makes very little sense. He takes my silence as disagreement. He inhales and then begins to explain how he got stuck in something called the Quantum Realm. I nod along.

"And then there was this huge surge of little lights. It took me a while to figure out how to get out. And when I got back everyone was gone. Then this wizard found me, uh his name was Wong. Cool guy. He said he and his friend needed our help. I asked to meet his friend. But apparently, his friend is one of the people that disappeared."

I hesitate.

Scott and My friend.

They need you Maxine.

"And we need to do something about a chick. With a stone. But you need my help? He didn’t explain it very well. I think he helped me get out of the quantum realm." Scott muses. But my mind is reeling. What on earth was going on? And was waldo the Wizard real?

Tony- Pepper and I stand at the window, watching them. Max doesn’t say anything. Nods every now and then. And Lang excessively talks, gesticulating and moving all around.

"I think I might take max to get some clothes this afternoon." Pepper whispers. Finding an excuse to get her away from all of this. I nod.

"I honestly think she only has the clothes she was wearing, the pajamas, and the one change of weekend clothes. Everything else she took out of her bag was school related." She continues. I glance to her, then back to Maxine who was standing awkwardly in the grubby school uniform. Honestly, the situation was a series of benefits.   
+Clothes for max

+Pepper and Max away from mission planning

+Time alone. Just for a bit. Just to think.

"Do you need anything while we are in the city?" Pepper asks. I turn away from the window. Staring at my fiancé for a few moments. Trying to commit each freckle and line to memory.

"I don't think so." I whisper. She walks up to me, wrapping her arms around my torso carefully. I cant help but kiss all across her face. Peppering her with kisses so to say.

"I don't know what it Means either." Max responds to an obvious question as she and Scott return. They walk into the living room. I glance over and watch how Max immediately crawls to a seat on the couch. She sits with her legs crossed and arms loosely draped on top. Tapping patterns into the cushions.

"I should tell her we are going out. Maybe find her something else to wear and give her a chance to shower?" Pepper suggests. Begrudgingly pulling away from my hold.

"Have fun. I'll be Here…"


	11. SHopping trips and a foot bath

Max- There is one reason. One singular reason I have a few outfits. I do not like stores. I do not like changing rooms. And I do not like malls. So the moment Pepper quietly tells me we are going shopping I try to smile, grateful because I had not had room for my other belongings. But. I feel the creeping nerves set in quickly, choking me.

"We do need to change out of that uniform, however." She murmurs after a minute, glancing around. Then she offers me a hand. I hesitate, my palms were cramping and sweaty. Ms Potts was trying to help. She didn't know. I reach up and take the hand.

We end up in her room, the double bed neatly made and the whole room very organized. It's very nice. Bottles of hygiene products organized on the shelf. I stand in the place she left me. Sort of at the foot of the bed, facing the window. It's a lovely view, but suddenly the windows are dimmed, digital displays appear on the screen.

"Okay, so we need to figure out a few things, like which stores you want to go to. There is no point wandering aimlessly." Pepper calls, she was standing at one of the chests of drawers, shuffling through them to find something.

"What do you like to wear?" Pepper asks. Suddenly beside me with a pile of clothes. I flinch softly, trying not to show the shock but not really able to hide it. She offers the pile to me, but I can't take it. She raises a brow. Confused.

"I don't like being handed things…" I murmur, dropping my head in shame. She smiles softly.

"Well, that’s not just you. Trust me. Tony does it too." Pepper explains, keeping her voice low and placing the clothes on the bed behind her, her hair was tied up in a high ponytail today. Her light pink shirt tucked into a pair of plain black pants.

"I normally wear the uniform. So on weekends, I wear pants and a shirt." I explain, turning to pick up the shirt on top of the pile of clothes. Pepper walks up to the displays as I asses the shirt. This was going to suck.

Tony- I was going to be roasted on a spit. Pepper was going to actually kill me. The remaining team loaded onto the quin jet. Scott shuffling back and forward in his seat. I glanced back to the complex. I would come back. I would sort things out for max. I would marry Pepper. I had too.

"Man this is so cool. This time we are all working together and it's gonna be great, I mean, no more fighting and we can try and save the planet!" Scott babbles. Natasha glares at him. He clamps his lips together.

"We aren't saving the planet this time, this time we are truly avenging it," Thor growls. "And it will be a glorious battle."

"Okay big guy." Rocket assures, patting Thor's shoulder comfortingly. They exchange a look, Thor smiles. It's a haunting grin. Full of hidden meaning and bright teeth. I try to imagine the outcome of this. We find him, but the gauntlet is broken, so that won't fix anything, could we get the stones to do something?

Someone taps on my shoulder. I turn to see Steve.

"Hey," I respond to the gesture. He tries to smile. But it seems empty. not quite reaching the blues of his eyes. 

"I wanted to talk to you, about, you know. Everything." He murmurs. Glancing around to see if anyone was listening in.

"Everything is a whole damn lot. I don't think we have time to discuss that much stuff." I respond jokingly. He scoffs.

"Since you know."

"Siberia." I finish when he trails off. He nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. I think about what could possibly be in his head.

"Tony, I hate that we fell apart. And now I have lost the one thing I had fought to protect. How the hell did I mess that up?" He sighs. The rhetoric hanging in the air. The accords tore us apart, and I was too stubborn to address the situation. But Barnes was gone, just like the kid.

"We may be able to fix this," I answer after giving it careful thought. I had so much to fix.

Pepper- Max and I walk through a quiet store. She seems calm, so I start to carefully suggest actually looking at some outfits. She looks into some plain t-shirts. She picks out a nice light grey one. And runs her fingers over the fabric. Before leaving I did a little bit of research. I made a list of stores that shouldn’t be too busy. And before I even consider telling max about them I see what kinds of clothes they have. I had a feeling that she would prefer more general clothing stores.

"Do you want to try it on?" She shakes her head.

"I'm a size 8 in pants and shirts." She murmurs as if reminding herself more than explaining it to me.

"Are you sure?" She glances to me and then the shirt. Like she is suddenly second guessing it all

"It's a good shirt. I just meant size wise. It's good to check."

"Jennifer will go out in the winter and the summer and get me clothes for the weekends." Max explains, "I don't like malls, and Jennifer and I are exactly the same sizes. We would double check."

I nod in understanding, suddenly feeling stupid. Of course, they would have a system to help her in any way possible. The girls at that school are more or less sisters.

"So should we get a few more shirts and then look at some pants, like jeans and tights?" I suggest, trying to brush past the situation. Max nods, picking up the shirt and looking at the rest of the pile. She picks up a blue one and a black one as well. We move to another area where they have nice blouses, and I point out a gorgeous black button down. She touches the collar carefully. Then smiles.

"What are you looking for exactly?" I ask when she stops for a moment. She glances to me, then extends the pile of shirts to me. I touch them. They are extremely lightweight, quite soft, but would still be warm. Then she takes the black shirt off the wrack. I touch it. It’s a heavier material. Like it would hug you. I nod in understanding.

"So it's one or the other?" I ask. She nods and glances at a plaid red and black hoodie that was next to it. I pick it up.

"It will be good for cold days," I explain smiling and moving to where the jeans were.

Max- Skinny Jeans, were a new experience. Not a bad one and it took me a while to get used to them, but once I had walked around in them for a few minutes once we got back home they felt fine. Pepper gave me approving thumbs up as she sorted through the bags, removing tags.

"They are perfect on you. You have the benefit of great legs." She explains, folding up a shirt and placing it on a shelf in the wardrobe. I glance at the several pairs of shoes she also convinced me I needed. A pair of running shoes, some low heeled formal shoes, something called converse that I actually really liked and a pair of boots. It was all a very long day. And I was feeling kind of drained. But also really hyper.

"You okay?" Pepper asks, noticing my anxious pacing. I nod, probably a bit too much to be convincing. I wrap my hand around my wrist and squeeze, trying to calm myself.

"Max?"

" I feel… Weird. Anxious. I haven't felt this in a long time." I respond finally. My stomach churns. My head feels light and the lights in the room are too bright. I have had a headache since we stopped for lunch at a small café. The coffee machine there was really loud. It made my eyes feel funny. Kind of like the school bell used to. Pepper walks towards me, but one of the bags falls off the bed and the paper makes a weird noise and I wince, pumping my hand around my wrist. 

"Are the lights too bright?" Pepper asks softly. I nod. Clasping my eyes closed. The otherwise quiet room is completely fine. For once there are no harsh cleaner smells, no voices fighting over each other to be heard. It is not too hot, it is not too cold. The clothes I was wearing weren't clinging to my skin unbearably.

"Max?" Pepper beckons softly. I open my eyes slowly, she Is standing in front of me, reaching out towards my hands.

"You're gonna hurt yourself."

Tony- It’s a farm. A god damn farm. He destroys half of all living things and settles down to be a farmer.

"I need some petrol," I growl under my breath from where I was sitting watch, waiting for everyone to get into position.

"Why?" Bruce asks, sitting in the Hulk Buster suit next to me.

"I want to burn half his crops. Make him watch." I whisper maliciously, unable to help the massive grin spreading across my face. Steve tries to suppress a laugh. At least we have this. If we can't get them back. We get back at him.

"Avengers?" Steve calls, in position. We all number off.

It's messy. But somehow structured. we know each other. We have no choice but to trust each other. 

Steve jumps into the entryway of the shack.

"Thanos!" he growls. A very tired purple alien steps out to greet him.

"Captain America." My head spins at the voice, my sight going red 

"The stones, now!" Steve demands. Thor shifts in my peripheral about 3 yards away with rocket sitting perched on his shoulder, readjusting his grip on the very large gun.

"Sure." Thanos sighs. Looking dejectedly at the gauntlet on his hand, then he punches Steve clean in the face.

Rhodes and I Fire up, coming down hard on his shoulders and throwing him into the back of the dusty living arrangement. I rearrange the entire table actually, on top of him.

"Mr Stark! I trust you had a nice journey home?" HE remarks before simply brushing the heavy wooden table aside. Rhodey smashes into him and I push in the opposite direction.

"Yeah, it was great. Your daughter and I are great friends now." I respond blandly. He blanches, the purple mottling slightly, Just as Natasha kicks him in the throat, and nebula lands on the dirt in front of him.

Rocket cocks his gun, pushing it into a place nobody really wants a weapon and Scott runs from the compartment on my hand into Thanos' ear.

"The gauntlet Dad! Nebula demands. Her voice bordering on feral. She reaches out for it, grasping at the fingers like a baby. 

"I thought you would be grateful, Look at what you are doing to this universe! it is truly in despair. but you keep pushing it. will you only relent when it breaks down completely?" Thanos laughs, the tone malicious. 

Suddenly it all happens. Scott says something none of us really hear. The gauntlet slips slightly as Thanos starts screaming in agony. Natasha has a taser pressed against his spine. I Heat the beams on my hands. It slips more and more. Then something truly horrific happens. His entire head rips open. We let go in shock.

"I told you!" Scott sighed in annoyance. Standing in his head. Steve goes white. Thor suddenly comes crashing through the premade hole in the roof, slamming the axe down on Thanos' throat, then his torso.

"He is dead." He declares. We all look at him. Rhodey retches slightly. 

Suddenly I swear my voice is the loudest thing in the universe.

"His head is literally that dudes foot bath and you think there is a possibility he could be alive!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to make chapters longer. and im sorry for the shitty kill off. i just had to deal with him to advance the main plot line


	12. Brightest lights, loudest sounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will things change now that the Avengers have sorted their unfinished business?  
> Tony is more worried about what may be waiting at home.

Pepper- I'm glaring. I know I'm glaring, as Tony and Bruce wheel a very gaudy metal glove down from the jet.

"Want to explain where you have been?" Tony flinches at my tone. Given the fact its 3 am. I think he was expecting me to be asleep, but no. When he didn't come home. I noticed. When I tried to call and it went straight to voicemail.

I knew something was up.

"We killed Thanos!" He cheers in an attempt to make the situation better. I baulk, glancing back into the house where max had fallen asleep on the couch.

"Tony! I have been trying to call you all day! You are meant to tell me when you leave. Even if I am not home because I swear on my life if something were to happen to you again I would not know what to do with myself and YOUR DAUGHTER" I yell, blowing my top, weeks of anxieties boiling over and erupting all at once.

"I'm sorry." he murmurs, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I hold onto him, trying not to cry.

"What are you going to do now?" I ask. He shrugs, but I know where his mind is. Peter.

"You should go see May." he flinches at my suggestion. Glancing to the members of his team.

"And tell her because her nephew was with me on an alien planet he is now space dust? Yeah no. I need to get him back." He whispers, trembling slightly. I glance up. Scott is standing there sheepishly.

"Mr Stark, May I use a shower? I'm still. Uh… Brainy." Tony groans and the request. Even goes kind of green. Then nods.

"Don’t trek purple alien on my carpet, stick to Lino and wood Scott!" Tony warns. I don’t think I want to know. I just pull him in and hug him closer.

Max- I wake to the sound of people moving through a house, and a loud bang of something being put on a table

"THOR!" Natasha laughs. Her voice like a siren, cutting through the room.

"We have avenged them!" He laughs boomingly. His voice echoing from the kitchen. It scrapes against my ears. Like thunder on a window. The lights are on in the lounge again. Probably due to the foot traffic. I squint to try and see the edge of the couch.

It was too bright, and there was that strange fuzz over my sight again. Reaching out I miss the edge and plummet straight off the seat.

"Max?" Rocket calls, his voice edging on amused, but too loud. The room spins slightly. So I push my face into the floor, the floor is down. The carpet smells dusty and it makes my nose ache. A sharp prodding pain flares up the front of my head. And my eyes water.   
"Hey, Tony?" Rocket yells. I wince, the noise rattling around inside my head. Footsteps slam toward the living room. Each one making my teeth ache as it vibrates through my skull.

"What happened?" He asks, his voice making my whole body seize up.

"I came in and she had fallen off the couch. She doesn't seem to be trying to get up." the tones were like nails scraping down a chalkboard, a fork rubbing on a porcelain plate.

"Oh no." Pepper gasps, her tone soft, but like a brush of ice-cold air down my spine. I shake slightly without meaning to.

Heavy footsteps get closer and closer until a hand is lightly on my shoulder. I shift away from the touch.

"Max?" Tony calls softly. His voice breaks through my skin like a boulder. I push my head harder into the carpet, trying to ignore the smell. Just trying to stop the weird oscillations of the room.

"Maxine?" He tries again. I let out the strangest and most uncharacteristic whine. Like a pup.

"You can't just lay here Max." He growls. I shiver. Trying to stop myself from reacting, but I can't help the tears that start to leak from my eyes. I have to lift my head to clear them.

Tony- Max is crying, she is trying to hide it, but something is upsetting her. I try and get her attention and she continues to ignore me. Pressing her face into the carpet. Irritation at the lack of communication blooms before I can reason with myself. I have to take a deep breath. Pulling my hand away from her, I gesture to rocket to stay with her and he nods, placing a paw on her knee and rubbing it. I slowly get up. Then briskly walk into the kitchen, Pepper is standing just around the corner.

"What the hell is happening?" She asks, I shrug unsure, but still aggravated by the situation. We move to an unoccupied room. I pull up the several medical files and pages of guides.

"She was feeling unwell after the shopping, could this be a remnant of that?" Pepper notes, I glance at her. she has a sad, guilt-ridden expression.

"Pepper, Maxine is a big kid. She needs to learn how to deal with things like this. It may suck and we may have to deal with this blowback, but today would have been good for her." I assure, trying to disguise the bite in my tone. Blindly glancing across the pages. Pull it together tony, you knew this could happen.

"Thor was causing a bit of scene right before she fell, maybe he freaked her out." I murmur more to myself. Trying to fine tune the trigger so I can think of how to help.

"She fell asleep with the lights of as well." Pepper notes as she moves to stand next to me, her hand rests on my arm. Glancing to me with a quizzical expression. I know what she is thinking.   
"So the sudden loud noise and bright lights when she wasn't expecting them. While also not being completely awake would have been quite overwhelming." I summarize moving away from her and the wall monitor.

"Sensory overload?" Pepper suggests simply. I ponder it for a moment. Then nod. Pepper inhales, Max was freaking out.


	13. Tempting normalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Given the fact Tony had only actually read the parenting books maybe once or twice before burning them all those years ago, his nerves were probably on a similar level to Maxine's agitation.

Max- Rocket hadn't tried to talk, he just sat there. Not chatting or making noises. He only makes a small noise of confusion when the lights dim. I glance up, having curled into myself on the floor. I can now see some of the surroundings, the blooming lights were too painful but I felt strange not being able to see the door when I was so overwhelmed.

But he is right in his confusion. The lights dim noticeably. Tony walks into the room, his steps soft, very slow like he was trying to keep his volume down. His expression is flat, hands spread across his thighs like he was approaching an animal.

"Max?" he calls softly, I tense as his voice grates against my ears. "You can't stay on the ground, okay?"

I shake my head, opening my eyes to look up at him. He is crouched by my head, hand hovering over my shoulder.

"Let's get you to bed okay? Even just your room where nobody is going to be too loud." He explains, reaching to try and lift me up. I sit up with his assistance. Feeling disorientated, everything spins and I lean into his hold for a second. He holds me. It's odd. We are both tenses. The room sways again.

I blink.

I'm in my bed. Tony is pulling the covers up and making sure I'm not too close to the edge. He leans over and turns out the lamp.

"Get some rest, if you need me, call for FRIDAY or just call for me. Okay. I'm here." He murmurs, his voice sounding sad. Maybe a little empty, or the word Jennifer was trying to teach me to recognize, Melancholic. When the door closes I lay in the dark silence. I turn over. Pull the blanket up to my face.

"Friday?" I whisper, uncertain. I hadn't met anyone called Friday yet.

"Yes, Maxine." Someone responds softly. I jump. The voice was in the walls.

"Uh…. Who are you?" I respond in a tense tone.

"I am Mr Starks AI, I maintain the house." She explains. I swallow. Trying to process the information.

"What can you do?" I ask, unsure of what she will respond.

"Mr Stark has placed some restrictions around my capabilities, but I can play music and movies, television shows. I can research information, surf the web. Organize your agenda." She starts listing.

"Can you tell me why Tony is all ways sad around me?" I ask. Feeling like I've pushed too far. The voice stops for a minute.

"Mr Stark had an Underling called Peter Parker. Mr Parker was one of the 3.8 billion humans who disintegrated in the culling." Friday finally explains. I nod. Suddenly feeling like a large weight was pressing into my chest.

"So it's not because he doesn't want me here?"  
"Maxine, I believe you being here will be a great help for your father. Just give him some time." Friday advises. " This is a new situation for both of you."

Tony-I kept thinking it over.

Why on earth anyone thought this was a good idea. bringing Maxine here? God. I struggle to make that girl trust me. It's my fault. If I had prepared for the situation that maybe one day she would need me…

I lower my head into my hands, it was Peter all over again. I can't be responsible for another Human.

I couldn't recognize a breakdown, how was I going to ever help her?

She hates me. My own child can't talk to me. I have failed her, I failed peter. I failed Pepper. I failed everyone.

Breakfast had been a disaster, I tried to make a joke and max took it way too literally. Rhodes having to reassure her I was joking as I sat there shocked. She started panicking. God, what am I going to do? Can I become a father overnight?

I glance over the diagnostics screens, noticing Friday occupied with a conversation.

"Mr Stark?" She starts. I jump suddenly, unaware she was "thinking" of a conversation to have with me.

"Yes, Fri?" I respond, curious as to what her inquiry would be.

"Maxine… She will often have self-doubts. Correct?" Friday asks the situation making the air suddenly brisk. I think of everything she could be doubting. The one thing that pops up over and over is coming here.   
" Depends on the subject." I urge. Hoping to learn a bit of what Friday was trying to figure out. All the information in the world, but FRIDAY is still struggling. I didn't think it would be Max that would catch her out.

" She seems worried about things, that is all. But I feel that I gave her the right answer." Friday summarizes. My mind reels. Of course, she would be worried. Her entire life has been shaken up. She isn't at school, she doesn't have her friends, her mom is gone. She is living in a house with people she hardly even knows and a god damn talking racoon! What else was I expecting? I glance at the secure container sitting across the room, the lights in it illuminating the gold tauntingly. No, max first.

"Friday?" I call, turning to the other side of my desk.

"Yes, Boss?" She responds. I reach for the device I was working on reprogramming. 

"Get me the info for the schools in the state. I think we need to build Max back into a bit of normalcy."


	14. Jitterbug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max had never had to move school before.   
> So the nerves were undoubtedly justified. Tony just hoped he hadn't rushed this.

Pepper- Perhaps it was a small idea that had come from research, but once I had started looking more and more into it, I could see how it could work. However Tony stares at me, a mix of emotions on his face. Eventually settling on an almost suggestive grin.

"You want to build a playroom?" He asks laughing slightly and extremely distorting my explanation. I groan, thinking back as to how he could have not interpreted that wrong. It had been a week since max arrived, and we have had plenty of little incidents. Thor mainly getting too excited in another room while max has been focused on studying and startling her. Or things getting too loud in an area of the complex and pretty much scaring her away from that area for the remainder of the day.

We were building ways to handle it. Rocket was surprisingly good at it. Scott as well when he was here. The two of them had been talking a lot. But I had been mulling ideas over in my mind as to a place where things would be practically everything Max would need. I quiet area to study with lights that only she could control.

"Why the climbing stuff?" Tony asks, briefly looking over my plans.

"You haven't noticed?" I retort, almost laughing. There had been several times where we noticed her walking along lab benches when helping tony, climbing on the couches when talking to people in the lounge, sitting on tables after cleaning up after dinner. The first time she ventured outside to watch the team train she ended up in a tree. She almost climbed up the side of the complex. Tony had gone pale and then literally flown over to pick her up and put her back on the ground. He grunts. Turning on his chair to face the plans fully. I glance around the room as he reads them. And can’t help but notice something shoved haphazardly in the corner with a giant cloth over it. It wasn't even against the walls like tony would be particular about.

"We can knock the larger stuff out in a day if you want to start ordering equipment." He murmurs looking over the main floor plan for the room.

"I'm making this all adult sized though. Thor will want to go on it as well," he adds. Swiping through the models of equipment I had picked out.

"And you?" I ask. Feeling an ulterior agenda underneath his nonchalant suggestion.  
"Of course me.!" He exclaims. I laugh, knowing I couldn't expect anything more from the man child. Then turn to leave the lab.

"Pepper. Make it more like a study room. She's to grow up for all the silly wet or dry things." he calls, I try to suppress the grin on my face. He is doing fine. I have nothing to be worried about.

Max- At first it is simple questions. Pick a colour set. Which do you prefer? Bean bag or couch. Tony and pepper start asking me these over breakfast. The two of them for once not being bothered by my constant shifting on the seat.

I was crouched on the dining chair, picking at the dry cereal as I tried to understand why I was being questioned so early on. Well, Tony had actually been working on Stark industry stuff, allowing me to ask the questions. Pepper was asking interior decorating questions. Like which desk I preferred with a bookcase she had chosen. I was stumped for Peppers stuff. But the stark tech was cool. We were looking at plane AI while pepper asked how I felt about stars when Captain Rogers walked into the room. I greet him good morning, receiving a soft smile in return.

"So, what's the plan for today?" He asks, going to the fridge. I glance to Pepper and then Tony.

"Max. Do you want to go to school?" Tony asks. My mind blanks. I feel myself grin but in honesty, I get very dreadfully nervous.

I try not to look at him, He is staring at me. Looking for an indication I don’t want to be here and he can whisk me back to the compound to the safety of the lab and my bedroom. I glance back down to my jacket, making sure it was tidy. A non-uniform school would present a new challenge on top of all of this.

"Maxine?" He calls, his voice low. Almost stern. I glance to him. Minding the rate of my breathing. Trying not to show the slight panic in my mind as I watch a large number of students move into the building. Most were casually dressed like me, but I was wearing the black button down with the jeans, while most of the girls I saw were wearing knitted woollen shirts… I inhale, trying not to pick anxiously at my cuff.

"Everything is ready. Okay. It's all on here." He whispers, handing me the small package, it’s wrapped in leather, but slim. I don’t open it though, I would shake. I would drop whatever was wrapped in the leather.

"You will be okay. All right. This school is good. It's just a high school." He assures, he can see it, the browns of his eyes are digging deep into my mind. I nod, knowing I had to go. I glance at my watch. The hand ticks to 8:43. I have to go.

My bag hangs awkwardly, my hands grasping the package. Once I'm out, I glance back in. he has put his glasses back on. Smiling brightly as I readjust the leather jacket over my shirt.

"Make this a fresh start. Be Max, Be Maxine. Be a Stark. It's up to you." He encourages. But his tone falls flat. Glancing to a person passing me. The slightly short boy is walking dejectedly towards the school. He looks like this is the last place he wants to be. I share a similar sentiment.

"Make friends, or find someone who will have your back. You won't be here long. But it will make it easier. This isn't a private school, okay?" I nod. There is a long pause. I am trembling, and everyone around me passes without a second thought.

"I'll see you when you get home." He murmurs after a pregnant pause. And with that, I wave, turn, and slowly walk towards the new school. Trying not to turn and watch him drive away.

Pepper- the moment tony drives the car out of the complex Steve and I are rolling plans out on the table.

"I have all of the gear for this sitting in the garage. We looked over it last night." Steve explains, pointing to the climbing frame and what Tony has labelled the quiet place. It was actually a two levelled play Hut that is really only good if you are okay with crawling. The top level will have a sky roof and soft mats along with blankets and pillows. The bottom level had no walls and I had decided we would probably use it to store the bean bags. Steve starts to get to work and I can't help but think that this only has two outcomes.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this concept, any feedback would be greatly appreciated!  
> \- Much Love - M


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